If you don’t have the time to visit one of the most famous locations of the Sahara desert, which are several hours from Marrakech, the Agafay desert day trip, without any doubt is a charming alternative. Leave the bustling city of Marrakech behind and watch the landscape change as you move through rural farmland into the Agafay desert. On this tour you’ll spend the day exploring the rocky terrain in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, including a visit to Takerkouste lake and dam. See a number of villages spread across the desert and learn how the traditions of Berber life indoors and outdoors, with possibility to hike, before heading back to Marrakech in the evening. You can also discover traditional market days: Asni : Saturdays Lala Takerkouste : Sundays Amizmiz or Tahenouete : Tuesdays Ouirgane : Thursdays
Itinerary
Point A Pick Up & Corss Agafay Desert
Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy the tranquility of the desert and the countryside with this day trip to Takerkoust Lake and Agafay Desert. You will be picked up from your accommodation at 9.00am and taken to the west of Marrakech. The route is shaded by lush vegetation, olive and orange orchards and passes through the occasional village of Ait Imour from where we will go off road and driving through a completely different scenery of stone desert, barren light brown plateaux, Bedouin village, Oasis then high hills with panoramic views on the High Atlas
Point B Tekerkoust Lake & Lunch in a Berber House
A few hours later small patches of green will start to show and not long after you will be back on the tarmac road side-lined by the old eucalyptus trees. You will arrive to the edge of the Lalla Takerkoust lake built as a dam where Marrakech gets its electricity from. Through small hills along the dam you will get to Nfis valley crossing Berber villages and arriving to a Berber family house. You can visit the house and have a lunch inside. After lunch your trip will continue to Ouiragan via the forest, traditional salt pools before getting to Asni, a small town (market on Saturdays) with a view on Toubkal the highest peak in North Africa. Then you will pass Moulay Brahim gorges, Ghighaya valley and Tahanouete before getting to Marrakech.
Point C Option to Hike and vist Berber villages
There is an OPTION to hike for 2 hours with Saida or Hamid and climbing for an hour to visit one of Ouchefilen the oldest village in the foothill of the biggest forest of the Atlas Mountains.( you can hike for 2 hours up to 3hours and half), Following the visit of traditional olive oil presser you will descend between olive trees and terraced fields to the only one house next to Nfis river. The 3hours hike included visiting Ouchfilen village and Ardmen village. or climbing 250m to the old mines in the forest. enjoying landscape over Nifs valley, villages and Lala Takerkouste dam. If you are hiking, for more then 2 hours to you will go back to Marrakech via Lala Takerkouste and Tamslouhet.
Pickup & drop off service
Air-conditioned minivan or 4WD car
English speaking driver
Camel Ride (Optional)
Lunch at Berber Family
Mineral Water
No Shopping strops
Hiking: 2hours 5€per person/ 2h+ 10€pp
Adding Camel ride, Quads or Buggy, jetski
Any extra drinks
Tips
